Reflections on Life, Family and Community

Monthly Archives: May 2018

Wednesday’s Photos

Hard Evidence for Spring’s Glorious Arrival

After a long and dreary winter, spring has finally arrived. Being four weeks late here in the Arrow Lake region, nature is literally exploding into action. The photos below have all been shot on a single day last week: one at the Fauquier boat dock, two at home, and the other two at the Taite Creek Campsite 10 km south of our small community. Each photo is glorious testimony for the miracle of life through the re-awakening of nature after winter’s long resting period. Enjoy.

Biene’s Urgent Plea for Understanding

My dear Love, I am a bit exhausted and my nerves are on edge. But don’t be afraid. I never lose my confidence and courage, whatever happens. Nothing can prevent me from coming to you.

First I must tell you this. The letter from the Canadian Embassy arrived today! I filled out the form at once and it is now on its way back to Cologne. But Peter, I had to do something you may not understand. But I had to do it to take a burden off my mother’s heart. I have asked the ambassador whether it will be possible to grant me a visa and a work permit for one year, before I will come to you forever. I have arranged with my mother to go to you till Christmas and then come back home to make the final decision. It breaks my mother’s heart. She cannot bear the thought that already this step I am going to do might be the final one. She must get acquainted to this thought by and by. Peter, please understand I have to grant her this favour. I must try everything to leave her at least in the hope that I am not bound to stay with you if I should not be able to stand the new life.

Peter, once together with you, I can reassure her in everything and she will get acquainted to the thought that I will stay with you. Peter, believe me, I only want to do the best and therefore never let doubts enter your heart! I need courage and I only can get it through you, when I know you are not troubled. Look, Peter, I come to you, I think, in April by airplane taking only small luggage with me. Coming back after Christmas I will take everything with me, for then I will stay forever. Peter, understand this change of plans, if the embassy should grant me my wish.

Cheerful Bird Announcing the Arrival of Spring

On a recent trip to Victoria, BC, I went for a morning hike along the beach road very close to the ocean. At a distance I heard a little bird happily chirping away. It did not pay attention to the many people walking their dogs very close to the branch where it was perched. So I approached my feathery friend with my camera ready to shoot. It paid no attention to me, even though I was only three meters away, but it seemed to be totally absorbed in the song it was singing. Enjoy.

Peter’s Letter – Part II

Dear Biene, you are so sure about the future, yet you do not dare to tell your parents that you want to marry me this spring. I love you for your big heart in dealing so compassionately with all people. But you must understand that you will hurt your parents a thousand times more if you tell them the full truth only at the end. What will you say to them when the registered letter arrives from the Canadian embassy?

You wrote about the shocking experience of your mother in her youth. Did you notice in regard to us the unintended irony of this tragic event? She was so much in love with her fiancé that she wanted to force her parents by means of a baby to agree to the marriage. Did the thought not cross your mind that you could be at this time in the same situation? And Biene, I have to tell you this; I would have never done ‘it’ under any circumstances no matter how passionately my blood was pulsing through my veins. For then I would have taken your freedom away to follow me to Canada. I do not blackmail, I do not sweet-talk, and neither do I make any promises that I cannot keep.

Decide if you want to come in the spring or if you prefer to stay. in Germany. You know I cannot ask the immigration officials twice. They cannot change the immigration requirements and conditions. You agreed to them and your parents should know them too.

One more time Fate is anchored within you, not in the time or the circumstances. So write to me soon and openly how things are at your end and how accurately your parents are informed. Forgive me, if I only saw the dark and unexplained content of your letter. Forgive me too, if I used too harsh a word or two and hurt your feelings or if the cold facts gave you pain. But until you can courageously face the present reality, especially when talking to your parents, I will not have a single peaceful moment. Quite frankly our situation appears already doomed to me. Biene, don’t you think a man just like a woman may also prepare himself inwardly for the wedding and may look forward to it? Yet I suffer with a burning fire in my chest tormented by the worries about our future. It cannot go on any longer like this! Make an end to my pain. My heart is longing for an end, happy or unhappy, it does not matter. Do not write any more what sounds nice, but give a true account of how things really are in Velbert, what you have accomplished and how I could help.

Wednesday’s Photos

The Magic of Water Droplets

Recently Jodi’s poetic blog ‘creative life in between’ inspired me to search in my archives for some photos with water droplets. And just yesterday I viewed some more water droplets in Gerhard’s blog ‘kopfundgestalt’.

The five photos show the wonders of the inner life of a water droplet. You may find in them reflections of the outside world, when hit by the sun rays at just the right angle they shine like the finest diamonds, and if you look hard enough, you may find yourself encapsulated in the eternal beauty of the most precious element of life. Welcome to the world of macro photography! Enjoy.